It is known to provide a door with a door operator to open and/or close the door relative to a door opening. Such door operators may incorporate a motor, such as an electric motor and a drive/actuation mechanism to convert the movement of a motor rotor into movement of the door, such as swinging movement, to open or close the door. Electric motors are commonly used in door operators, and frequently require substantial operating currents and/or voltages to provide the necessary power for controlling movement of the door. In addition, in the case of commutator motors, the motor must be of substantial size in order to provide the desired torque, such that the door operator may form a bulky unit that is not easily installed onto existing door structures.
Typical applications of door operators include buildings that require automatic actuation of doors in the event of an emergency, such as may be required for a fire door. Other common applications of door operators include door openings designed for access by individuals with disabilities, such as persons in wheelchairs. In such applications, it is also desirable to control of the motor to provide a desired movement profile and to respond to external inputs to the door. Such inputs requiring a response may comprise a manual push or pull on the door, in which it is desirable to permit door movement without substantial resistance. It is further desirable to enable the control to detect an obstruction to the door and respond in such a way as to preferably maintain an existing door movement command while also responding to the obstruction without applying excessive force against the obstruction.
Other characteristics of a door operator are also desirable to provide efficient controlled movement of the door in combination with a compact door actuator that may be readily incorporated in a range of door configurations.